The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-08-17

ways, having AttAauuiio do viz" PAo
jectiye point, is the Arcadia and Alex
andria route. Senator Brioe and En-
gineer Polk are in charge of the mat
ter and have already made an optical
survey.
Lastly comes the Alexandria and
Texas railroad, projected from Alex
andria through Rapides, Vernon and
Calcasieu parishes to the Sabine river,
and thence to Houston. This COM
pany is an Alexandria institution and
has been duly incorporated. Its course
lies through nearly 100 miles Of the
long leaf pine region from Alexandria
to the Sabine river, 100000 acres of
which valuable timber region have
been already absorbed by Northern
and Eastern capitalists; 100000 acres
of the timber lands on this route also
belong to Jay Gould. The road is
regarded by the Alezandrians as a
necessity to the development of their
timber interests, and will be pushed to
completion.
What are the advantages Of Alex
andria?
/. AS railroad center.
Any one looking at the map will
see that all roads west of the Missis-
sippi, tending to New Orleans, must
pass through the spur of land formed
by the Red and Mississippi rivers
Leaving the impracticable, lost and
,swampy lands of the lower Black and
Red rivers, they must ioi'vw the hills
further west, " ich bring them to Pine
Vile and force them to cross at Alex
andria, from whence they can make
for the Gulf in an air line.
All surveying engineers as we'll as
all railroad builders have always been
aware of the fact. Up to now no steps
have been taken by the main trunk
lines, because the building of no new
road was proposed and their means of
transportation were ample. But now
that the ball has started rolling, there
will be severe contest for the maste-
ry of the lines; for when once St. Louis
and Kansas City shall shake hands
with New Orleans via Alexandria, this
town shall be the main artery from
the West.
2. AS a manufacturing center.
First-A cotton factory. No Sec
ton by its location offers a better
opening for cotton factory. Our
town handles from 10000 to $4,000
bales of cotton, and some 5000 bales
more belong legitimately to it. The
bulk of the above can be bought by
the factory. All cotton men know
that the Red river cottons are eagerly
sought after for their staple, and the
Rapides cottons especially. Labor can
be had at reasonable prices: men, wo-
men and children. If the mill is in
tended for water power, Rayou Rap
ides can be utilized at a small cx-
pense. If for steam power, wood can
be had in abundance at a minimum
price By having ginnery added tc
the factory, very large quantity Of
the cotton could be bought in seed
Secondly-A sugar refinery. Eve
ry acre in Rapides Parish can raise
sugar cane and the saccharine density
Of the cane for refining purposes ii
equal to any in the State. Besides
and it is a very important point, the
property around is so cultivated il
small tracts that an immense acreage
would be planted in cane by small
farmers; if they had central mil
where they could sell their cane. A
refinery now at Lecomte, in this Par
ish, the property of Il. V. Weems
Esq, is success and its sugars ART
sold in several leading markets o
the west.
Thirdly Lumber manufacturing
companies in all their branches Saw
Mills, Planning Mills, Woodwork Mills
Wagon Factories and Furniture Fac
tories.
AS an evidence of the success of on
branch, viz, Saw Milling: Alexan
dria has lumberman, Julius Levin
5 who ships monthly over a million fee
of lumber, and he has to run his mill
to their full capacity; be cannot fiji
Y all his orders. The Texas and Pacifi
i, road runs its flats to his yards an